What I Have Learned About Blogging This Year

I started this book blog in May 2006. I literally started it as a way to list the books I read. Check out that first "post." This week is going to be a week of reflection for me because I have been blogging for a while now.

Last fall (2009) I decided to really work on my blog, increase followers and traffic. I have done that and have had a great year. I love having this blog for so many reasons and what I have discovered this year really surprises me.

1) I don't really care about my the number of followers I have. I know there are ways to increase them and most of that is going to other blogs and commenting and following. I follow a lot of blogs and I read a lot of posts, but I am not a huge commenter. I have learned to be okay with this. I also like having giveaways to have giveaways, not to increase followers. It can make you crazy watching that number--one day I am at 115 then the next I drop to 113. I don't know why, but I am going to let that anxiety go--I am good where I am. If I get more, fine, if I drop to less, that's ok too. It doesn't really affect how I blog so I am going to stop worrying.

2) I don't understand stats. I have used a stats counter and had the one where it shows you where people visit from and Google analytics. I think my stats are good but I don't know what is a good number for an average blog. And all the different stats counters I have looked at tell me different things. I have no idea what I am looking at. I do know I have one post that gets a lot of viewers, and it is not even what the people who visit it are even looking for when they visit. Check that out here.

3) Publishers are AWESOME! They truly want to get the word out for their books and if you ask politely with detailed info about your blog and contact them after wards with your review they are very good about getting you books. And, I notice they sent me books even when I had less followers than I do now. There are a few contacts I would still like to make (especially from Random House to get one certain book that I covet so much that is coming out this upcoming spring--although as awesome as an ARC of that book would be I will buy it the moment it comes out even if I don't get one), but for the most part publicists are spectacular!

4) Authors are so cool! I cannot believe the number of authors I have been in contact with this year! And that they answer my questions and emails. Or that they take time to comment on MY BLOG when I post about their books! Isn't that amazing?!

5) I read about the same number of books this year (113) as last year (112), however, last year 90% of the books I read were library books. This year, I bought SO many more books this year than last. All of the posts about upcoming books get me so excited that I can't wait for the library to get their copy, I have to buy! I got a lot of ARCs and did continue to check out, but I spent more money on books this year than the past four years combined. And I am okay with that (although my husband probably wouldn't be...if he knew).

6) The book blogging community it a blast!

What are your favorite things about blogging, or what have you learned about yourself since becoming a blogger?